Method and apparatus for recording and presenting life stories

ABSTRACT

The user interface on a computer system displays information about an entity, such as a person, a business, a pet, a country, etc. The screen is associated with the entity. A plurality of recordations are associated with the entity. The recordations are of at least two different types and are associated with the period of time. A plurality of selection mechanisms are on the screen. Each of the selection mechanisms are associated with at least one type of recordation. A time selection mechanism is adapted for selecting a period of time. The time selection mechanism is associated with at least a portion of the plurality of recordations and is operative to present one or more recordations which correspond with the selected period of time. The user interface can be accessed over a computer, either as a stand-alone or over a network, whereas on a memorial such as in a headstone.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/037,010, filed Jan. 31, 1997.

COPYRIGHT PRESERVED

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to recording and displayinginformation about entities, and will be specifically disclosed as amethod and apparatus for recording and presenting the life story of anindividual.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Throughout history and across cultural divisions, a variety of differentceremonies and memorials have been used to commemorate the death of aloved one. Indeed, ceremonies and memorials have become integral forhelping the living cope with the death and for commemorating the lovedone for future generations. For instance, traditional western ceremoniestypically involve a funeral home visitation, a burial, and a wake, withthe grave site being marked by a headstone. In the case of cremation,ashes are often placed in a sealed urn. For many historicallysignificant individuals, their deaths are sometimes commemorated with amemorial, such as a statue, which is often dedicated years after thatindividual's death.

While traditional ceremonies and memorializations are without a doubtimportant, they do have several shortcomings. For instance, visitorshave traditionally been required to be physically located at theceremony or the memorial to view or reflect on the individual. If youare not physically present at the ceremony or the memorial, you cannotshare in the achievements and memories associated with the individual.In the case of many ceremonies, the duration is limited to the actualtime of the ceremony. Any reflection after the ceremony is limited tothe memories of those who actually attended. A further shortcoming isthe relatively limited scope of the commemoration. Visitations typicallyinvolves a eulogy and memories shared between the participants. Outsidethe spoken words of the visitors, however, little or no other memoriesare shared. In the case of traditional memorials, including headstones,urns, statues and the like, memories and messages are usually limitedonly to a few words etched in stone or on a plaque.

Beyond the death industry, many things such as businesses, buildings,pets, and the like are also commemorated. In addition, the memories andachievements of living individuals are often compiled, either by othersor by the person themselves, usually in the form of a scrap book orbiography. However, such commemorations are typically fraught with thesame shortcomings listed above. Therefore, there is a need for a methodand apparatus recording life stories which solves one or more theproblems found in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an method andapparatus for recording information about an entity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus forpresenting information about an entity.

Additional objectives, advantages and novel features of the inventionwill be set forth in the description that follows and, in part, willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon examining or practicingthe invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may berealized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinationsparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One aspect of the present invention is a user interface on a computersystem for displaying information about an entity, such as a person, abusiness, a pet, a country, etc. A screen is associated with the entity.A plurality of recordations are associated with the entity. Therecordations are of at least two different types and are associated witha period of time. A plurality of selection mechanisms are on the screen.Each of the selection mechanisms are associated with at least one typeof recordation. A time selection mechanism is adopted for selecting aperiod of time. The time selection mechanism is associated with at leasta portion of the plurality of recordations and is operative to presentone or more recordations which correspond with selected period of time.The user interface can be accessed over a computer, either asstand-alone or over a network, or as in a memorial such as in aheadstone.

Another aspect of the invention is a method in a computer system forpresenting information about a person. A plurality of recordationsrelating to the person are collected. The recordations are categorizedinto different types. Recordations are also referenced with a period oftime. A plurality of options are displayed. One or more of the optionscorrespond to at least one type of recordation and at least one of theoptions corresponds to a period of time. A user selects one or more ofthe options and the recordations are presented in accordance with theselected option by a user.

Still other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from the following description of a preferredembodiment, which is by way of illustration, one of the best modescontemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, theinvention is capable of other different and obvious aspects, all withoutdeparting from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptionsare illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, incorporated in and forming part of thespecification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention and,together with their descriptions, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a computer system for storing information about an entity;

FIG. 2 illustrates a system for retrieving information about an entity;

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative system for retrieving informationabout an entity;

FIG. 4 illustrates still another system for retrieving information aboutan entity;

FIG. 5 illustrates a user interface on a screen;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart for recording and accessing informationabout an entity;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart for collecting and recording informationabout an entity;

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart for remotely accessing information aboutan entity;

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart for accessing information about an entityby a funeral home;

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart for accessing information about anentity by a cemetery;

FIG. 11 illustrates a multimedia tombstone;

FIG. 12 depicts an opening screen;

FIG. 13 depicts an introduction screen;

FIG. 14 depicts a main screen;

FIG. 15 depicts a photo screen;

FIG. 16 depicts a documents/certificates screen;

FIG. 17 depicts an audio screen;

FIG. 18 depicts a video screen;

FIG. 19 depicts a medical screen; and

FIG. 20 depicts a history screen.

Reference will now be made to the present preferred embodiment of theinvention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like numerals indicate the same element throughout theviews.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One aspect of the invention is the “Family Life Story.” Family LifeStory provides for the organization, permanent storage and easyretrieval of individual and family records and memories. Using softwareand computer related hardware, one may produce (for themselves orothers) a detailed, chronological history and background of alife—complete with pictures, important documents, completed personalinformation questionnaires, audio and video clips, and otherinformation.

All information will be collected, preferably using easy to followinstruction materials—(“Life Pack”), which will be scanned and/or inputto a data base management system and, after quality control proceduresare performed, stored in permanent archives. Upon completion of theinput service, all original information will be returned to the person,who will also receive a multimedia CD-ROM version or some othermultimedia device of their completed Family Life Story (includingoperating software and general world historical data), along withinformation on how to access the finished Life Story from the permanentarchives. Access will be limited, according to person's wishes, in thefollowing exemplary ways:

1) Release to anyone “legitimately” requesting information;

2) Release to immediate (and identified) family members or ancestors

3) Release to clergy or church officials

4) Release to funeral home or cemetery officials

Ideally, when Family Life Story is produced before death, the FuneralDirector will be supplied with a multimedia version to display duringthe funeral service. Participating funeral homes will be able to presenta fully automated, tasteful, chronological Life Story for theircustomers, with only a modest investment in a hardware configuration.

Family Life Story products could also be available for review atparticipating Cemeteries by family and friends wishing to visit morethan a traditional gravesite. As with funeral homes, participatingcemeteries will be able to present fully automated (or completelymanual), tasteful, chronological Life Stories about their interredcustomers with only a modest investment in hardware configuration. Withsuch a system installed at the cemetery, family and friends may accessproduced Family Life Stories for review while at the cemetery. Thissystem would provide a competitive advantage to those participatingcemeteries, and would also allow them to provide additional Life Storiesto the families of other interred customers. Called “reloading” in theindustry, the ability to provide additional, value-added services toliving families of cemetery customers will be an additional benefit ofadopting the present invention to active cemeteries.

In addition, one could provide on-line access (for instance via theInternet, direct connection, etc.) for those who wish their Family LifeStory to be accessible from anywhere at any time. This optional programwill allow family and friends to visit the memory of a loved one at anytime from anywhere in the world. This will be an extremely attractivefeature to those families that are comfortable with the technology. Thisaspect of their invention invokes a “virtual cemetery” concept for thepermanent storage and viewing of all or even just basic information(e.g., tombstone information).

A variation of the Family Life Story concept is the Family ArchiveService. This variation provides a vehicle to store (and retrieve)family data—such as film, video, audio or any information a person wouldwant to confidentially store and simultaneously prevent fromdegradation. Preferably this variation will be limited to a simplestorage of information and, when requested, retrieval of information ina variety of available formats (i.e., video/audio tape, hard copy,etc.).

Still another variation is “Growing Memories”, which will use the samebasic technology as the Family Life Story, but could be used at schoolsto parents of students. The concept would be for the annual productionand accumulation of life information about students for parents andother family members. The productions, on CD-ROM or other electronicmedia, would include school pictures (individual, group andmiscellaneous), family photos from home, school projects and artwork,messages (written or audio) from classmates and teachers and generalhistorical and personal data. This information would be compiled andproduced annually, and accumulated on computer systems each year as astudent grows. This variation has the benefit of cross sellingopportunity to the students families along with the ability to link LifeStories from different family members.

The systems and methods of the present invention are part of a uniquesystem of permanent and non-degradable storage (and retrieval) of familymemories. The capability for permanent storage is a particularly uniquefeature to be employed in the present invention, since it allows for thetimeless preservation of family information without concerns oftechnology changes (which are inevitable), natural disasters (which areunpredictable), degradation of existing media and memories (which isnatural), or moving/shifting families (which has become more prevalent).

These combined capabilities provide users peace of mind thatdocumentation of important family information will be accuratelycompiled, safely stored and organized for future generations. This, inturn, can be used for providing future family members facts abouthealth, wealth, genealogical, or other information which may be critical(or entertaining) to know or understand about the past.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system 10 for recording information aboutthe individual. The computer 12 is connected to peripheral input devices14, such as a scanner. Using the peripheral devices 14, variousinformation about the individual are loaded into the computer 12. Theinformation can include a variety of different types of recordations,including, for instance, documents, photos, recordings, videos, textualinformation and the like. Once the information about the individual iscompiled on the computer 12, the information is written to a specialmemory tube 18 through the read/write interface 16. Preferably thememory tube is made from a rugged material, such as plastic or stainlesssteel, and is sealed from the outside environment. Information withinthe tube 18 can be accessed through the electrical interfaces 18A. Thememory tube can take any form or size, such as the cylindrical shapeshown in FIG. 1, which is preferably about five inches in length andabout 1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter. Inside the tube are a series ofmicrochips in which the electronic information about the individual isstored.

One with ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that theinformation about the individual can be stored on any computer readablemedium, and is not limited to the embodiment of the memory tube 18.Computer readable medium can take a variety of forms including magneticstorage (such as hard disk drives, floppy diskettes, tapes, etc.),optical storage (such as laser disks, compact disks, etc.), electronicstorage (such as random access memory “RAM,” read-only memory “ROM,”programmable read-only memory “PROM,” etc.), and the like. Preferably,the computer readable medium is non-volatile, which will retain data inthe absence of power so that the information will be available whenpower is eventually restored.

FIG. 2 illustrates the memory tube 18 in use at a gravesite. The memorytube 18, with the information about the deceased individual storedtherein, is physically located within the coffin 28. A communicationsline 19 links the memory tube 18 with an interface 20 accessible abovethe surface of the ground. As shown here, the interface 20 is physicallyconnected with the headstone 26. Information in the memory tube 18 isreadily accessed and viewed by visitors at the gravesite using thehand-held mobile unit 24 having audio/visual presentation capabilities.The mobile unit 24 includes a connection 22 which can be connected tothe interface 20. Once that connection is established, data can bereadily retrieved from the memory tube 18.

FIG. 3 depicts an alternative system where the information about theindividual is stored in a central location 42, such as a cemeteryoffice. Information is accessed using the mobile unit 30, which sendsand receives information over a wireless communication link, such as theradio transmitters 44, 34. The mobile unit 30 includes a viewing screen32 and a user friendly interface 36 from which the information about theindividual can be viewed. Identifiers located adjacent each burial site46A-46C allow a visitor to access information associated with theindividual buried at a particular site. For instance, electronicidentifiers 46A-46C each have a unique transponder signal, which whenthe mobile unit 30 is proximally located will automatically transmit theinformation to the mobile units 30, which will in turn receiveinformation associated with the individual buried at that particulargravesite.

FIG. 4 depicts still an alternative embodiment of the present inventionin which the information is stored in a central database 50. Informationabout the individual can be accessible through any kind of remotecomputer link, such as over the Internet, and can be accessed and usedfrom virtually any place and at any time. Preferably, the informationwould be secured with two levels, including confidential informationaccessible for family use only, and public information accessible toanyone. Information in the database 50 would be accessible through thehome 51, school 52, church 53, library 54, funeral home 55, cemetery 56,and the like.

FIG. 5 illustrates a graphical user interface 60 for accessinginformation about the individual, which can be displayed in a multitudeof situations, such as during a funeral, at the cemetery, on-line as atribute, obituary, or biography, etc. The screen 61 has a variety ofselection options for the user to view and access the data. Selectionoptions can take a variety of forms including buttons, mouse selections,keyboard selections, menu items, touch screens, voice commands, and thelike. The screen 61 includes a list of relatives 62 associated with theindividual. Preferably, the list 62 is arranged in a hierarchial displayto graphically show the relationship of each relative in the list 62.Each individual on the list 62 will have a link to a screen associatedwith that relative. Preferably, relatives on the list 62 will becolor-coded to indicate whether a screen exists for that relative, andwhether that relative's screen has been visited yet in a particular usesession. Preferably, direct relatives, such as the wife 65 and children66, are showed separate from the other relatives 62.

The screen 61 also has a graphical representation 64 of the individual,which optionally includes the typed name of the individual as well assome other basic information. A preferred graphical representation is adigitized photograph of the individual. When the screen 61 firstappears, the date object 67 displays the individual's date of birth. Thegraphical life line bar 68 includes a slider 69, which defaults to thefar left position relative to the bar 68. The bar 68 and slider 69provide a graphical representation of the timeline of the individual,with the far left position being the date of birth and the far rightposition being the date of death. If this embodiment is used with livingindividuals, the far right position would be the present date. As theslider 69 is moved relative to the bar 68, the corresponding dates willappear in the date object 67. Each of the recordations associated withthe individual are indexed or referenced by its corresponding date. Uponthe selection of a date using the slider 69 and bar 68, thoserecordations associated with the selected period of time will bepresented for the user. The presentation can be either on a separatepage, or within the screen 61, such as in the graphical representationwindow 64. The auto play button 71 will automatically display allrecordations in chronological order.

The screen 61 also includes a message button 70, in which messages fromthe individual can be displayed. The messages can contain, for instance,religious beliefs, values, hopes and knowledge for the public, childrenand future generations. Optionally, the messages will be time releasedwhereby the messages can only be viewed after a predetermined timeperiod or event has expired. For instance, the individual could leave amessage for his son once he turns 18 years old. Alternatively, themessage could be triggered upon an event such as when a daughtermarries. The selection option 72 allows the user to record a messagedocumenting the user's visit to the screen 61. An ongoing list ofmessages is stored and searchable, thus providing a virtual visitationbook. The selection option 73 provides historical information unrelatedto the individual for a selected time period on the timeline bar 68. Forinstance, user could compare recordations associated with a selecteddate against historical events at that date.

Recordations can also be viewed by type. By selecting the respectiveselection mechanism 74, 75, 76 or 77, a user may view the correspondingtypes of recordations. For instance, the different types of recordationsin this embodiment include pictures, documents, inputsheets/information, and audio/video clips. To illustrate, when a userselects the selection mechanism 74, the various scanned picturesrelating to the individual are presented to the user. The presentationis preferably on a separate screen, however, the presentation could alsobe within a portion of screen 61, such as in the window 64. Ideally,each recordation will include a brief description, such as typed, textdescribing the recordation date and other relevant facts, which will bepresented along with the recordation. If multiple recordations exist fora given type, it is preferred that selectable list of recordations willbe displayed, or the recordations are displayed in chronological order.Optionally, each selection mechanism 74, 75, 76 and 77 will lead a userthrough options to copy, view, play, print, etc. the recordationscategorized under that type.

One challenge in creating Life Stories exists in the input andmanagement of large amounts of data which will result from enteringphotographs, data, video, and other types of memories. These materialscould arrive in a variety of formats which will be categorized intodifferent types of recordations, such as documents (e.g. birthcertificate, general documents, transcripts, medical records, drawings,diplomas, obituary statements, etc.), audio (e.g. tapes, CDS, computeraudio files [various formats], etc.), video (e.g. tapes [variousformats], film, computer video files [various formats], etc.),photographs (e.g. photos, slides, computer graphics files [variousformats], etc.), data (e.g. input sheets, typed information, etc.), andother media types which may become available (e.g. holographic images).

Initial information regarding inquiries and orders are expected to comefrom several sources, including for instance:

(1) Representatives/Distributors—Provided through the “Pre-Need” segmentof the Death Care industry, many of the initial orders will come fromthis channel. Representatives will advance basic information (via phoneor fax), and will be assigned a unique code for use in all futurecorrespondence with or about a specific person.

(2) Phone or Mail Orders—Many inquiries and orders could originate bytelephone or mail order. Information would be recorded about the personfor whom the Life Story is to be prepared. Caller ID could also be usedto gather phone and name information. In some cases, the people mayrequest a starter disk, which would allow them to complete a certainamount of the Life Pack information directly on the floppy disk. Havingthe person complete a certain amount of data entry has the advantage ofreducing production time.

(3) Internet—Since the invention has significant Internet potential,preferably one could provide a system for individuals to requestinformation via the Net. Attempts will be made to collect name, address,and e-mail information using this method. Options will also be given fortaking orders and completing Life Pack information directly by theperson. Having the person complete a certain amount of data entry wouldhelp reduce production time.

When a person makes contact via any of the methods mentioned above, onewould ideally create an entry in a primary database with the basicinformation gathered about the person for whom the Life Story is beingcreated. Once this database record has been created, it would be usedthroughout the remainder of the inquiry, ordering, production, andfollow-up support. In addition, this data can also be used later toremind them to periodically (e.g., annually) update their information.This would be especially important for Life Stories which involvechildren or younger adults.

The process used to produce a Life Story (LS) begins with the receipt ofinformation (Life Pack). Factors and issues in the production of LifeStories are as follows:

(1) Quality Control—Every effort should be made to manage the productionprocess so that the final product will be of the highest quality. Thiswill be done through close order tracking, minimizing the number ofindividuals involved in production, supervisory review of employee workthroughout the process, and a system design which promotes standardized(easy) input for a custom appearance.

(2) Close Tracking of Orders—sophisticated computer systems could beused to execute up-to-the-minute tracking of orders and production. Thegoal would be to emulate other firms who are known for their customerservice, such as major package delivery firms. For example, informationabout order status and production progress will be would made availableon the Internet for users to track the status of their orders. Trackingof information is important because of the priceless, personal nature ofitems being handled.

(3) Long-Term Emphasis—One aspect of the present invention is to storeLife Story information indefinitely. To achieve this goal, it ispreferred to develop production and product delivery methods that havelongterm applicability which can be upgraded as system needs change anddata standards improve. For example, this means storing data in severalformats which acknowledge the difficulties in data delivery methods oftoday versus those which will be available in the future. To illustrate,it is currently impractical to deliver MPEG video to most home PCs viathe Internet, or even with CDs. This is because the Internet bandwidthis not adequate and because most home PC systems are not powerful enoughto support handling the large amounts of data necessary for full-screenMPEG video. The one solution is to store data in several formats: MPEG,which would provide broadcast quality video, as well as AVI and/orQuickTime formats with lower resolutions and frames per second thatcould be played on a wider variety of computers today. Longer term,alternative embodiments will work to perform on-the-fly conversion ofvideo and audio from high quality formats which will be stored in theoptimal format available for a particular system. Similarly, if one wereto order a replacement CD a number of years after the original wasproduced, and could produce a new one which would contain the sameinformation as the original, but would incorporate any new formats andappropriate software to take advantage of the update.

FIGS. 6-10 depict flowcharts of how information about an individual iscollected, recorded and accessed. The actions on the left 81 areperformed by a central office, and the actions on the right 82 areperformed by the customer, who may be the individual, family member,friends, or others. The following describes the production process forcreating Life Stories and its variations. It describes the basic processfrom the initial contact with the person to mailing the finished productto the user, as well as the production process itself.

In steps 83 and 84, the customer is sent two copies of a contract aswell as a Life Pack—which is a packet for organizing and safely shippingmaterials. A label on the Life Pack could contain a predeterminednumber. This number would then be used to track the user's informationfrom beginning to end. Upon receipt of the Life Pack 85, the customercompletes the Life Pack information 86. Examples of materials whichwould be gathered to be put in the Life Pack would include thefollowing:

(1) Packing List—A sheet indicating the number of photographs, videos orother items to be added to the system. This sheet will be compared towhat is received when unpacking the shipment.

(2) InfoSheets—Life Story data sheets which provide detailed textualinformation which will be added to the database. The information willinclude details of the person's life and descriptions of pictures,videos or other information on the Packing List.

(3) Life Story Requester Information—Information about the personrequesting the Life Story. This person may or may not be the target ofthe requested Life Story.

(4) Type of Life Story—Information about the type of Life Story to becreated. As there will be different levels based on the complexity ofthe Life Story, this will need to be specified by the requestor. Forexample, an individual may have a large amount of photographs they wouldlike to include in the Story, while another may have video footage whichis important to them.

(5) Life Story Style Information—The person requesting the Life Storywould be given the opportunity to specify basic styles to be included inthe package. These types of styles would set the general tone for theLife Story and would include general color schemes, frame style aroundphotos, types of background music, description of user hardware todetermine output format, etc.

In step 87, the customer executes the contract. One copy is kept by thecustomer 88 and the other is combined with the completed Life Pack 89and returned to the office. When the executed contract is received 90,it is filed and any payments are deposited 91. The Life Pack is thenprocessed in step 92. Once the information is processed and formulatedinto a multimedia presentation, the customer pack 94 and Life Story CD95 are returned to the customer 96. The Life Story is placed in anon-line permanent storage 97, which is periodically backed-up 98.

The flowchart in FIG. 7 illustrates a more detailed view of thecollecting and processing of the Life Pack 92-98. Actions on the left 82are performed by the customer and actions on the right 81 are performedby a central office. In step 106, the customer compiles the Life Pack,which can include a variety of different types of recordations,including pictures, documents, data, audio/video, etc. The completedLife Pack 107 and the executed contract 109 are sent to the office. Thecontract is filed 110 and any payments are deposited 111.

Once the Life Pack has been received 108, it will be opened and recordedwith a date and time stamp to indicate that the materials have arrived.This information will be used to track the production process.Preferably, the clerk opening the Life Pack will be responsible forensuring that the materials arrived in good order and will compare themto the Packing List. Once this information is verified, it can then beused to ensure that all materials are accounted for should there be anyquestions later. The unique customer number is entered, as well as thetype and style of the request and the customer contact.

In step 112, data from the InfoSheets are input into the system. It isexpected that most InfoSheet information will arrive in handwrittenform, which will need to be typed into the appropriate database fields.In certain cases, the person might enter this information on their own(i.e., through the Internet or floppy disk processes). In this case,there would not be any information to enter and the order would movedirectly to the production area where the rest of the Life Story wouldbe created.

The production area of the office will be set up with workstation areasoutfitted with high-end personal computers with various peripheralsnecessary for processing the various types of data indicated above.These PC's will be connected to a primary database server via a network.Most workstation PC's will have the peripherals necessary to processdata from the most common data types. However, peripherals needed forless common media types can be located in central shared locations sothey can be accessed by all production staff. For example, eachworkstation will include a high quality scanner and video capture cardsconnected to high end video tape players. The scanners will be used toscan in photographs, documents, certificates, and Info Sheets.

The production worker will begin scanning all of the customersphotographs and documents. Templates will be designed to help the workeralign multiple pictures, so that several pictures can be scanned at onetime. As the scanning is completed, the images will be shown on theworkers computer monitor and any simple editing can be done as needed.The person may also tag the photograph with a variety of informationprovided by the customer, such as the date of the photo, age of theindividual, names or any other written description. As a practicalmatter, most documents to be scanned will include some type of writtendescription. Once files are turned into an electronic format, it will bethe responsibility of the production worker to ensure they are properlytagged with the desired information.

Below is a sample of what the database table for storing media-typeinformation is expected to contain:

Field Description Sample Data ID unique id for this recordUSA-477-59-5959-01100 Person unique id for the customer toUS-477-59-5959 whose record this electronic file belongs. File Type typeof data, such as photo photograph, audio file, or video file. FormatElectronic data format type. high compression JPEG FCB Format CreatedBy. This would indicate which software created this type of data in caseit was later determined that there were problems with conversion. OriginDate Date the original was created, 6/25/65 if known. This and the Agefield below would be used to put photos or other documents inchronological order in the Life Story. Age If it is a photo, the age ofthe 5 person could be input if known. This and the above field would beused to put in chronological order in the Life Story. Notation Any typeof notation on the James 5th birthday. original article, such as writingShown are James, Mary, on margin or back of Tom and Timmy photograph.(brothers & sister) Defects Indicate any defect of the right handquadrant. original to provide some limit on the office's liability forpoor quality of image. Input Date The date the article was 01/01/97electronically entered into the MEM database. Entered By Who entered theinformation 12312 used for quality control purposes. This will beentered automatically.

Because the invention is concerned with very long-term data storage, itis preferred that information be recorded about the type of data beingstored and how it was created. As formats are continually changing, itmay be necessary to upgrade the formats or utilize conversion utilitiesas new formats become available. For example, the video formats that weuse today will likely be very inferior to those of the future. One ofthe most likely improvements is better compression without loss ofquality. Since the storage space necessary for the storage of video is aproduct cost issue, upgrades to better formats could be used when theybecome available. Another reason for performing a conversion would be toensure the best compatibility, particularly across the Internet. In thisenvironment, data is sent across the Internet, but then is processed bythe user's system. The user must have the proper type of application toutilize the data file. If standards change over time (and they will),the user will not be able to access certain types of files unlessstandards have been upgraded.

Once images have been scanned and any necessary tagging added, theinformation will be saved as a record for that person's Life Story inthe central database. The above process will be continued for all thevarious types of recordations to be entered, until all items areentered.

Next, the production worker uses a template to develop a Life Storybased upon the chosen format or style, as indicated during the orderentry process. This setup information would then be saved in thedatabase record. Once saved, it would be possible to fully replicate thefinal CD (or other media) created at any time should the additionalcopies be needed. This would be desirable since it may be necessary tocreate a new copy utilizing new media and utilizing upgraded dataformats if the request is made several years into the future.

Next, a media presentation piece is created to provide to the end user,which would contain the Life Story and other information. This could bein hard copy (print) format, video tape, floppy disk or compact disk(CD). We anticipate that most people will request the CD format and willtherefore describe the process in this document. It is expected that theCD would have several pieces of information stored on it:

I. Installation program(s) to set up the Life Story on the user'scomputer hard disk.

II. The Life Story on the individual including:

A. runtime media software

B. data file of all photographs, videos, etc., using the current,reasonable standards available for use on the customers hardware

III. Information about key world and national events which occurred onimportant dates in the person's life, including birth dates or otherimportant milestones. This data might also include statisticalinformation such as the cost of bread, automobiles and a home during theyear a person was born.

During the CD writing process, it is preferred that data flows at aconsistent rate so that no drops occur during the writing process. Forthis reason, a full copy of the entire information to be written to theCD will be created on the local workstation so that the data can then bewritten to the CD without potential bandwidth bottlenecks of thenetwork.

In one embodiment, step 112 further comprises preparing the informationto be available on the Internet (or other distributed or remote accesssystems). Person's will decide the level of information they wish tohave available on the Internet—from none to the complete Life Story.Once this has been determined from the directions, the templates will bechosen and as a result, the amount of work necessary to prepare a LifeStory for the Internet will be limited. It is preferred to have matchingmultimedia and Internet templates to allow for a consistent look andfeel, but also take into account the limitations of both distributionformats. At this point in the production process, any special changesrequested will be made to make the data properly viewable on theInternet. As part of the quality control process, one could call up theinformation in an Internet browser to ensure that the informationappears correctly.

In step 113, the process goes through a final quality control phasewhere the customer requests and originals are compared to the imputedproduct. Preferably, separate quality control steps will be performedafter each phase of the input and processing step 112.

The next step 114 involves silk screening the top surface of the CD.This could be performed by the production worker while the system iscompleting the processing of the Life Story. The top side of the CD willultimately contain a photo of the individual profiled in the Life Storyand also the individual's name, date of processing, and any otherappropriate or necessary markings. To accomplish this, a program will berun which will pull the appropriate information from the database andcreate an on-screen preview, which can be altered as necessary. Onceapproved, the information would be saved in the database so thatadditional copies may be created later. Finally, a copy of the label isprinted and taken to a separate silk screen workstation, where the CD istaken to have the images printed.

Once the production process 114 is complete, the CD will be packaged inan attractive jewel case or other type of casing which will contain theinstallation instructions and other pertinent information. The CD andthe original materials 115 will be sent back to the requesting person inthe same Life Pack packaging via a priority delivery courier service116. In Step 117, an on-line version of the product is stored inpermanent storage, preferably on a non-volatile computer readablemedium. Periodically, the on-line storage is backed-up 118 to helpensure the long-term integrity of the information. In step 119, thecustomers and others access the information.

Returning to FIG. 6, customers and others can access the informationrelated to the individual through a variety of ways. One such way is toremote access 99-101. FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart of such remoteaccess. Actions on the left 81 indicate steps performed by the centraloffice, and actions on the right 82 indicate steps performed by thecustomer or other person requesting remote access. Remote access cantake a variety of forms including through the Internet, direct dial,interactive T.V. and the like. For the purposes of illustration, thisaspect of the invention will be illustrated in the form of Internetaccess. At step 124, the person attempting to access enters the Internetand finds the central office web site. Once in the web site, the personattempting access will typically be required to sign on and enter his orher name and any appropriate passwords. The person attempting accessinterfaces on the office side 81 through the Internet server 121. Instep 122, an accessible information file is transferred from the on-linepermanent storage 120. This information file 121 interfaces with theInternet server and provides the information which the user ispresented. Whenever somebody logs in, the access information is recordedin step 122. Appropriate filters are maintained and the permanent recordis updated in step 123, which is written to the on-line permanentstorage 120.

Returning to FIG. 6, funeral homes can access the information in steps102-103, which is detailed in the flowchart depicted in FIG. 9. Actionson the left 81 are performed by the central office, and actions on theright 125 are performed by the funeral home. Upon the notification ofdeath 126, the Life Story funeral order is received by the office 127.In step 128, the on-line permanent storage of the individual'sinformation is written to a computer-readable medium, such as a CD 129.The CD is delivered to the funeral home where the information can beplayed back on a computer system during the funeral service 130. At step131, an identification tag with the customer number is also created,which is sent to the funeral home. In step 132, the identification tagis placed in the casket with the deceased. An example of the suitableidentification tag is shown as 135, which will include the telephonenumber of the office and the customer identification number. Beyond anetched tag, a computer chip containing identification data couldsupplement or replace the tag 135. In step 133, the invoice is sent tothe funeral home or any payments are collected and remitted to theoffice 134. At step 136 any payments are deposited.

The following describes examples of appropriate technology to implementthe present invention for funeral homes, but is expected to be enhancedas technology improves. Funeral home systems can use fairly standardpersonal computers with a large computer screen. Several optionsavailable are:

(1) Use of Existing Designs—GATEWAY 2000 and several other computermanufacturers have developed big-screen systems. For example, GATEWAY'SDESTINATION system provides a 31″ VGA screen manufactured by MITSUBISHI.The system also includes a keyboard and mouse/remote operated via radiofrequency (RF). One potential problem with this system is that theMITSUBISHI monitor is a low resolution monitor which may beunsatisfactory.

Testing will be required to evaluate the MITSUBISHI monitor and otherson the market.

(2) Custom-Designed System—Several approaches could be taken with acustom-designed system. The first is to use a local manufacturerssystem, but add a custom case. This local manufacturer could be providedwith all software and exact design specifications necessary to producethem. The second is to produce them totally in-house. All parts can bepurchased in quantities at reduced prices, thus ensuring they are builtto specifications. This also has the advantage of retaining control ofthe software configuration process.

The way in which the computer system will be presented can vary greatly.Options include a kiosk-style design mounted on wheels, an A/V-stylecart, or a wood cabinet with doors similar to ones used to hold TV's andstereos, etc.

It is expected that initially the funeral home would be provided with aCD continuing the deceased's Life Story, shipped via next day air.Later, as data transmission capabilities become more widely availableand more cost effective, the CD would become unnecessary. A dataconnection could be made to download all Life Story data prior to theviewing at the funeral home. Later, as the technology improves evenfurther, the data could be directly accessed in real time using anInternet or similar connection.

Returning to FIG. 6, in steps 104-105 information is accessed by acemetery. The details of such cemetery access is illustrated in theflowchart of FIG. 10. Actions on the left 81 are performed at acentralized office, and actions on the right 137 are performed at thecemetery. The information in the on-line permanent storage 138 isaccessed through a PC based system 139 located at the cemetery. Thisconnection can be periodic for updates from the central office to thecemetery or visa versa. Alternatively, the cemetery could have a CD jukebox covering all of the cemetery inhabitants. In one embodiment, a kiosklocated at the office or the mausoleum access the PC system 139providing a multimedia presentation of the Life Story of a givenindividual. Preferably, the kiosk will have a touch screen technology toreceive flexion inputs from the user.

In another embodiment, centralized cemetery will have a transmitteroperating through radio frequencies, infrared, ultrasonic, or othersuitable transmission forms. The transmitter will transmit informationto either a hand-held receiver 142 so that users could view theinformation about an individual while standing at the burial siteitself. Alternatively, the receiver can be built into the headstoneitself, providing a similar interactive presentation of the informationabout the individual. In yet another embodiment, an interactiveheadstone 144 is connected directly to the PC based access system 143via a cable, which is preferably located underground. Alternatively, theviewer can be built into a stand-alone headstone in which theinformation is stored locally with the headstone providing the sameinteractive presentation of the individual's life story.

Implementation of the present invention in cemeteries would preferablyuse a system migration path which allows Life Story data to be madeavailable at a cemetery using a simpler delivery method with a migrationpath to full implementation.

(1) Kiosks—Kiosks could be designed with touch screens for ease of use.These kiosks would be connected via a network to a “server” which couldcontain a limited amount of commonly used information. The majority ofinformation; however, would be accessed via switched network. This wouldallow the cemetery to have access to the latest information. Laterinformation in this section assumes that during the early testing phasesa server would not be installed, but instead that the cemetery systemwould be connected via a switched network to the primary computer systemlocated at headquarters. Later when a server would be added, hardwarecosts would be higher, but communications costs could likely decreaseand speed for some kiosk functions would increase.

There are several environmental concerns in having kiosks locatedoutdoors, such as lighting and temperature. Issues include glare andintensity for computer screens in sunlight. This will also be an issuefor the laptops mentioned later. While computer screens generally appearbright in normal indoor lighting conditions, they are very difficult toread under less than ideal lighting conditions. As a result, it willlikely be important for these systems to be placed under big awnings ora similar type of cover so that outside lighting can be reduced. Specialkiosks can be made which include automatically-controlled, built-inheating and air conditioning. These outdoor systems also have steelexteriors and for additional protection also include security sensors.Alternatively, the basic “Durashell” case could be used. The basiccomputer system is slightly more expensive than the standard system foruse in indoor systems, but it is expected that the touch screens foroutdoor use would be more costly.

Another potential issue for a kiosk system would be the datacommunication links back to headquarters. There are three factorsinvolved: the data link at the remote site, the long-distance carriercharges, and the data link at the headquarters site. Currently, datarates for ISDN services vary greatly from city to city and even includea wide variety of pricing schemes. In addition to the issues above,there would also be various shipping and installation factors. Thecemetery might need to build some type of enclosure to shade the systemfrom direct sunlight.

(2) Multimedia Laptops—This possible solution would utilize standardmultimedia-equipped laptops. Utilizing the same data links as with thekiosks, the appropriate data would be downloaded at the cemetery office.It would then be loaded onto the hard disk of the laptop. The systemwould not be portable, but data access would be restricted to the dataon the laptop. Possible manufacturers include GATEWAY 2000 and IBM.

(3) Specialized Laptops or Palmtops—This type of laptop would be smallin size, with the front face being primarily the screen and a limitednumber of keys. As no data transmission capabilities would be present,the machine would be loaded with the data as above.

(4) Specialized Laptop or Palmtops with Data TransmissionCapabilities—Custom laptops, or palmtops, such as one developed byMOTOROLA have been developed, but have relatively slow data links whichwith the current technology would be insufficient for transmittingextensive multimedia information. As data transmission capabilitiesincrease, however, these features will be added to realize the fullsystem as it was originally envisioned.

It will likely be some time before data transmission capabilities evolveto the point which will allow smooth transfer at sufficient rates toaccommodate multimedia. There are several reasons for this and they allinvolve limitations in broadcast capabilities due to the physics ofwaves. There are two possible ways that this could change: 1) Increasesin compression technology so that more information can be carried atlower frequencies or 2) the possibility of being able to use very highfrequencies for transmission. The difficulty with option 2 is that theFCC highly regulates the use of various bandwidths.

(5) Specialized “Interactive” Headstone—Recessed and protected within astone case, a microchip with subject life story programed in, could playback information at the gravesite. One embodiment of an interactiveheadstone is illustrated in FIG. 11. The headstone 150 is a traditionalstone gravemarker. The headstone 150 includes a traditional etchedmessage 151. The headstone 150 also includes a recessed portion toreceive the viewer 152, which is inserted within that recessed opening.An interactive touch screen 153 allows textual and visual message to bedisplayed to a user. A speaker 154A, 154B provide an audio presentationfor the user, the volume of which can be controlled by the volumecontrol 155. The contrast of the screen 153 can be controlled by thecontrast control 156. The information relating to the buried individualcan be stored in a sealed storage unit 157 or alternatively connected toa central database through a ground line or transmission system. Theviewer unit 152 is powered by the seal power supply 158, oralternatively through a ground line. Preferably, the viewer unit 152will turn on automatically upon the user touching the screen 153, andwill shut off after a predetermined time with no activity. A clearprotective cover 159 protects the viewer unit 52 from the weather anddamage.

FIGS. 12-20 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention developedusing MACROMEDIA DIRECTOR. Alternative embodiments can be developeddeveloped using other development tools, such as hypertext mark-uplanguage (“HTML”) editors. FIG. 12 illustrates an opening screen 116which is initially presented when the program is initiating. FIG. 13illustrates an introductory screen 171 to an individual's Life Story.The introductory screen 170 includes a textual identification 172 of theindividual and some other relevant information including, for example,the date of birth, date of death (if applicable), address, occupation,etc. The closing screen is identical to the introductory screen 170.

FIG. 14 illustrates an individual's main screen 180. The main screen 180includes the textual identification of the individual 181 as well as adigitally rendered photograph of the individual 182. The list ofrelatives 183 displays a hierarchial representation of the individual'srelatives with the individual's name listed accordingly to his/herrespective relationship. Each listed relative includes a link to thatrelative's main screen. The list of relatives 183 are color-coded toindicate whether a main screen exists for that relative and whether thatrelative's main screen has been visited yet in this session. Theimmediate family of the individual is listed 184 to the right, whichincludes the spouse and the children. Like the relative list 184, theimmediate family list 184 has links to their main screen and arecolor-coded.

The main screen 180 includes a slider life line bar 185 in which theuser may interactively select a given period of time. The far leftposition indicates the date of birth of the individual. The selectedperiod of time appears in the selection mechanism 186 accordingly. Theselection mechanism 186 is linked to the screen 250 illustrated in FIG.20. Using the life line 185 and selection mechanism 186, the user mayview various recordations relating to the individual based on a selectedperiod of time, irrespective of the recordation type. The user may alsoview recordations about the individual based on the type of recordation.For instance, the selection mechanisms 190, 192, 194 and 196 each linkto screens 200, 210, 220 and 230, respectively. While the main screen180 is being viewed, as well as the other screens, background music isplayed which can be controlled by the music selection mechanism 187. Theauto play selection mechanism 188 will automatically display allrecordations associated with the individual in chronological order.

FIG. 15 illustrates the photo screen 200. The photo screen 200 includesa list 201 of all photo recordations linked with the screen 200. Uponthe selection of a listed item, the corresponding digitized photographwould be presented in the viewing area 202. Alternatively, thecorresponding digitized photograph would be displayed on a separatescreen, which would include a more detailed textual description of thephotograph. The back selection mechanism 203 returns the user to themain screen 180. The selection mechanisms 204, 205 and 206 are linkedwith the screens 210, 220 and 230 respectively, thus allowing the userto navigate among the different types of recordations without returningto the main screen 180. The stop selection mechanism 207 returns thephoto screen 200 to its ready state, as shown in FIG. 15, wherein nodigitized photographs are displayed.

FIG. 16 illustrates the certificates and documents screen 210. Thisscreen 210 includes a list 211 of all associated certificates anddocument recordations. Upon the selection of a listed item, thedigitized rendering of that recordation is displayed in the viewing area212. Alternatively, the digitized representation appears in a separatescreen accompanied by a detailed textual description. The back selectionmechanism 213 returns the user to the main screen 180. The selectionmechanisms 214, 215 and 216 are linked with screens 200, 220 and 230,respectively. The medical information selection option 218 is linkedwith the medical information screen 240. The stop selection mechanism217 returns the certificates and document screen 210 to its ready state,as shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 17 illustrates the audio screen 220. This screen 220 includes alist 221 of audio recordations. Upon selecting an audio sample, thecorresponding audio recordation is presented to the user over a speakersystem. The back selection mechanism 223 returns the user to theindividual's main screen 180. The selection mechanisms 224, 225 and 226are linked with screens 200, 210 and 230, respectively. The selectionmechanism 227 stops the presentation of a given audio recordation.

FIG. 18 illustrates the video screen 230. This screen 230 includes alist 231 of video recordations. Upon selection of a listed item, thecorresponding video recordation is displayed in the area 232.Alternatively, the video recordation can be displayed on a separatescreen having a detailed textual description of the recordation. Theback selection item 233 returns the user to the main screen 180. Theselection mechanisms 234, 235 and 236 are linked with screens 200, 210and 220, respectively. The stop selection item 237 stops thepresentation of the current video recordation.

FIG. 19 illustrates the medical information screen 240. Due to thesensitive nature of medical information, before corresponding medicalrecordations are presented to the user, the user must successfullycomplete information in the name field 241, password field 242 andsecurity code field 243. If that individual has suitable rights,associated medical information, preferably in the form of digitizedmedical documents or textual information about the individual's medicalhistory, is presented to the user. The continue button 245 allows theuser to page through multiple medical recordations. The back selectionitem 246 returns the user to the certificates and documents screen 210.

FIG. 20 illustrates the history screen 250. The history screen 250 isspecific to a given year or period of time selected by the life line185, which period of time is displayed at the top 255 of the screen 250.A list 251 of associated recordations are displayed for the selectedperiod of time. Preferably, the listed recordations are typeindependent. Upon selecting a listed item, the corresponding recordationis displayed in the area 252 or alternatively on a separate screen. Thereturn item 253 returns the user to the main screen 180. The historicalselection item 254 presents historically significant events which wereindependent of the individual. Using this historical selection item 254,the user may compare an individuals time-based recordations againsthistorical events of that time.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the inventionhas been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It isnot intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the preciseform disclosed. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will beapparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teaching. Forinstance, the present invention could be readily implemented for anyentity, including businesses, buildings, pets, countries, parks, museumdisplays, or any other person or thing for which information is desiredto be stored and displayed. Likewise, the invention is not limited tothe death industry. For instance, the present invention could be used tomaintain a running biography of event and achievements, documented in avariety of formats, for a living person or other entity. Accordingly,this invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications,and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of theamended claims.

I claim:
 1. An interactive user interface on a computer system forpresenting information about an entity, the user interface comprising:a) a viewable screen image associated with the entity wherein the entityis at lease one of a person, an organization, and an animal; b) aplurality of life related recordations associated with the entity, therecordations being of at least two different types and being associatedwith a calendar date; c) a plurality of selection options on theviewable screen image, each of said selection options corresponding toat least one type of recordation such that when a selection option isselected the corresponding types of recordations are presented; d) aslidable calendar date selection option on the viewable screen image forselecting a date, said calendar date selection option being associatedwith at least a portion of the plurality of recordations such that whena specific date is selected the user interface presents one or morerecordations which correspond to a selected calendar date; e) one ormore future messages from the entity, the content of the future messagesbeing provided from the entity and directed to the user of theinteractive user interface; f) an access control mechanism preventingaccess to the future messages until a predetermined calendar date orevent, wherein the event or calendar date is dictated by the entity; andg) a list of relatives to the entity, wherein one or more of the listedrelatives has a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.2. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising a historical selection option and data related to historicalevents independent of the entity, said history selection mechanism beingoperative to present at least a portion of the historical data whichcorresponds to a selected time period.
 3. An interactive user interfaceas recited in claim 1, further comprising background music.
 4. Aninteractive user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the entity isa person.
 5. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1,further comprising a graphical representation of the entity displayed onthe screen.
 6. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1,wherein the types of recordations include photographs, documents andvideos.
 7. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, whereinthe time selection mechanism comprises a slider bar.
 8. The interactiveuser interface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selection optionscomprises a selection option for photographs.
 9. The interactive userinterface of claim 8, wherein the plurality of selection options furthercomprises a selection option for documents.
 10. The interactive userinterface of claim 9, wherein the plurality of selection options furthercomprises a selection option for videos.
 11. The interactive userinterface of claim 10, wherein the plurality of selection optionsfurther comprises a selection option for audio recordings.
 12. Theinteractive user interface of claim 1, further comprising an auto playselection option on the viewable screen image, whereby when the autoplay option is selected the recordations are presented in sequentialorder based upon their associated time periods.
 13. A method forpreserving and presenting information about a deceased person, themethod comprising the steps of: a) entering into a contractual agreementwith a physical customer; b) collecting from the customer a plurality oflife related recordations relating to a person and one or more futuremessages provided from the person; c) categorizing the recordations into different types; d) referencing the recordations with a calendardate; e) storing the categorized and referenced recordations and futuremessages on a computer readable medium; f) after the person is deceased,displaying on a computer system a plurality of options, wherein of theplurality of options correspondence exists between the options and thefollowing: i) at least one type of recordation, (ii) a specific date,and (iii) at least one of the future messages; g) selecting by a userone or more of the options; h) presenting the recordations and futuremessages in accordance of a selected option by a user and preventingaccess to the future messages until a predetermined calendar date orevent, dictated by the person or the customer; and, i) providing a listof relatives to the entity, wherein one or more of the listed relativeshas a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the customer is different from the person.15. A graphical user interface for displaying information about aperson, the user interface comprising: a) a plurality of life relatedrecordations of different types relating to the person, each of saidrecordations being associated with a calendar date which is associatedwith the person; b) a plurality of viewable screens each associated withat least one of said recordations; c) a main viewable screen distinctfrom and linked to the plurality of viewable screens, the main viewablescreen comprising: (i) a plurality of selectable type options eachcorresponding to at least one type of recordation, said type optionsbeing operative to display the viewable screens corresponding to therecordations of that type when the corresponding type option isselected; (ii) a selectable calendar date option for selecting aspecific date, said specific date option being operative to displayrecordations associated with a selected date irrespective of therecordation type; (iii) a selectable future message option correspondingto one or more future messages from the person, the content of thefuture messages being provided from the person and directed to the userof the graphical user interface; d) an access control mechanismpreventing access to future messages until a predetermined date orevent, wherein the date or the event is dictated by the person; and e) alist of relatives to the entity, wherein one or more of the listedrelatives has a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.16. The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein the differenttypes of recordations comprises photographs, videos, and documents. 17.The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein each of the pluralityof viewable screens comprises a selectable list of recordations of thetype corresponding to the screen display.
 18. An interactive userinterface on a computer system for presenting information about anentity, the user interface comprising: a) a viewable screen imageassociated with the entity wherein the entity is a human being; b) aplurality of life related recordations associated with the entity, therecordations being of at least two different types and being associatedwith a period of time; c) a plurality of selection options on theviewable screen image, each of said selection options corresponding toat least one type of recordation such that when a selection option isselected the corresponding types of recordations are presented; d) aslidable time selection option on the viewable screen image forselecting a period of time, said time selection option being associatedwith at least a portion of the plurality of recordations such that whena period of time is selected the user interface presents one or morerecordations which correspond to a selected period of time; e) one ormore future messages from the entity, the content of the future messagesbeing provided from the entity and directed to the user of theinteractive user interface; f) an access control mechanism preventingaccess to the future messages until a predetermined time period orevent, wherein the event or period is dictated by the entity; and g) alist of relatives to the entity on the screen, wherein one or more ofthe listed relatives have a link to a screen associated with that listedrelative.